The Minister of Solid Minerals, Dr. Oladele Alake has denied political campaign materials associating him with the governorship race in his home state of Ekiti.
The state’s governorship election is not due until mid 2026 with the incumber, Mr. Biodun Oyebanji sworn in for his first term in office on 16th October 2022. Like Oyebanji, Alake is also of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
In a statement on Monday by his Special Assistant on Media, Mr. Segun Tomori, the minister that he has no interest to run for the governorship of his state “either now or in the future”.
The statement read: “The attention of the Honourable Minister of Solid Minerals, Dr. Oladele Alake has been drawn to a poster that is circulating on social media and across WhatsApp groups where he is positioned as a gubernatorial aspirant in Ekiti State with the inscription ‘Take it Back’.
“The general public is hereby informed that Dr. Alake has no interest to run for governorship election in Ekiti State, either now or in the future.
“The poster in circulation does not have his approval as he does not know the people behind it. It is fake and should be discarded.
“It is unconscionable that the Honourable Minister who is busy with the onerous task of reforming and revamping the Solid Minerals sector in Nigeria, a responsibility committed to him by President Bola Tinubu will leave that to be plotting for an election in Ekiti State.
“The Honourable Minister is a busy man, working tirelessly on how to make the solid minerals sector a major revenue earner for the country and for the sector to create thousands of high paying jobs for Nigerians.
“Dr. Dele Alake is committed to his current national assignment. He is working to transform the solid minerals sector to justify the absolute confidence reposed in him by President Bola Tinubu.
“We want to state clearly that the Honourable Minister will not be distracted by the antics of disgruntled elements.
“He supports the current administration of Governor Biodun Oyebanji in Ekiti and as a proud son of the soil, Dr. Alake will continue to contribute to the growth and progress of Ekiti State”.
